Remotely controlled tunnel explortation and destroying means



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR NELSON A- FROST ATTORNEYS N. A. FROST REMOTBLY CONTROLLED TUNNEL EXPLORATION AND DESTROYING MEANS Filed Oct. 26, 1966 Aug. 6, 1968 6, 1968 N. A. FROST 3,395,641

REMOTELY CONTROLLED TUNNEL EXPLORATION AND DESTROYING MEANS Filed Oct. 26, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR NELSON A. FROST 2r @AAMJW $1M ATTORNEY 5 3,395,641 REMOTELY CONTROLLED TUNNEL EXPLORA- TION AND DESTROYING MEANS "Nelson A. Frost, 232 Mill St., Byram, Conn. 10573 FiledOct. 26, 1966, Ser. No. 589,661 9 Claims. (Cl. 102-19) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A self-propelled, controllable tunnel exploration device particularly adapted for use in warfare and including an elongated body having head and tail portions and an intermediate flexible, pressure expansible sleeve including a spiral fin and means for rotating the fin to advance the device through tunnels, the device carrying television surveillance means and, optionally, explosives, means being provided on the body for preventing rotation thereof as the sleeve is rotated to advance the device.

This invention relates to military demolition apparatus and more particularly to apparatus which is especially adapted for the controlled destruction of enemy tunnels, trenches, and like places of refuge.

In certain types of Warfare, for example, insurgency as practiced in Southeast Asia, enemy infiltrators and insurgents resort to extensive tunnel networks to hide from the established forces. The tunnel system in any one area may be elaborate and may traverse several levels and numerous branches with the arrangement being such that the insurgent forces are disposed in the system in such a position that a high explosive detonated at the tunnel entrance will have little effect on those hiding in the tunnels because of their labyrinthine construction whereby the direct force of an explosion is screened from the occupants. Because of the danger of bobby traps or ambush it is not practical forattacking forces to enter the tunnels With the result that heretofore there has simply been no way to kill or dislodge insurgents hiding in the tunnels and the broad object of the present invention is to provide means for exploring tunnel networks by a selfpropelled device which can be safely controlled from a remote position outside of the tunnel network.

More particularly, itis an object of the invention to provide a tunnel exploring device which may be maneuvered from a remote position deep into the tunnel net- Work and there be detonated so that there is a much higher kill probability of the enemy forces with greater safety to the attackers than has been possible by any means employed heretofore.

Other objects and their attendant advantages will become apparent as the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the several components making up the tunnel exploration means of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view partly, broken away, of the primary exploratory component of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a broken cross-sectional detailed view illustrating one means whereby the component of FIG. 2 may be steered to maneuver around corners;

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a tunnel complex showing the manner of operation of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 55 of FIG. 2.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the numeral designates the primary exploratory component of the invention which is described nited States Patent ice in greater detail hereinafter. Connected to the rear of the member 10 are wheeled carriage members 12, 14 each of which includes a central electric motor 16 having independently drivable stub axles for connection with Wheels 18 each of which may be provided with suitable lugs 20 as shown, it being contemplated that each wheel will include as a part thereof an electrically detonatable explosive which can be set off simultaneously with a main charge contained within the member 10 as will be described hereinafter.

In accordance with the invention the primary member 10 comprises the chief means of propulsion and the components 12, 14 are merely dragged behind and perform no function until such time as the main element 10 may be stalled for some reason in which event the motors 16 of the elements 12, 14 are energized to boost the main element 10 to the extent necessary to insure that the device proceeds in the direction in which it is intended.

The members 10, 12, 14 receive electrical energy through suitable electrical cable means 24 which is carried by a cable reel 26 mounted on a dolly 28 having handles 30 whereby the dolly may be pushed to the scene of operation.

Electrical energy is delivered to the components from a portable electric generator 32 which is also mounted on a wheeled carrier 34 for ready transport of the generator. At the scene of operation the generator 32 is connected to the electric cable 24 of one of the reels 26 by means of a plug 36 with the output of the generator being delivered to the electrically operated components within the member 10, which includes, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter, a television camera the output of which is delivered by way of a cable 38 to a second cable reel 39 on a second dolly 28 from whence the output is delivered to a control console 40 carried by a trained operator 42.

The console contains a plurality of control buttons 44 which the operator actuates in accordance with a picture received on a viewing panel 45 of a miniaturized closed circuit television screen. The controls on the console include, among others, means for controlling the stopping and starting of the components, switch means for detonating the charges carried by the components, switch means for controlling the operation of illumination and the television camera, and means for effecting steering of the components of the invention.

Referring now to FIG. 2 the primary vehicle 10 of the invention consists of an internal body composed of front and rear sections 46, 48 interconnected by a pleated section 49, a series of steering rods 50 and an external annular, expansible bootlike member 52 whose opposite ends are vulcanized or otherwise bonded to annular members 53, 54 having respective radial flanges 55, 56 engaged by overhanging annular U-shaped channel members 58, 60 fixed to the front and rear ends of the body members 46, 48 respectively.

The steering rods 50 are connected at their forward ends by ball and socket joints 62 to pedestals 64 rigidly connected at their lower ends to the interior of the rear of the body part 46. From the joints 62 the rods 50 extend rearwardly and are provided with rack teeth 66 which are operatively engaged with pinions 68 on shafts arranged at right angles to each other to be selectively driven by electric steering motor means 70 under the control of the operator.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the racks are arranged in pairs with those of each pair having oppositely facing teeth whereby when one shaft is driven in one direction one of the steering rods engaging a pinion on one side of the axis of the shaft is moved rearwardly while the other steering rod engaging the gear on the opposite side of the shaft axis is moved forwardly. The rack and gear H teeth are designed with a sutficient amount of overplay to permit the steering rods to assume a limited slantline position with respect to the spur gear teeth of approximately 30 degrees during steering as illustrated in FIG. 3, it being understood that the rods are guided within their limits of play by means of suitably formed apertures in a guide plate 74. As will become more apparent hereinafter, the steering of primary vehicle 52 is accomplished by moving the forward part of the vehicle generally to the left, right, up or down a sufficient amount so that the forward rounded part 76 of the vehicle engages the sidewall of that part of the tunnel leading in a different direction from the original direction. As soon as proper engagement has taken place, as determined by the operator from the television picture on his console, the steering motor is de-energized and as the primary vehicle works forwardly by the propulsion means "which are to be described it works itself around corners through its abutting engagement with the side wall until it is in its new direction without further active steering being required. In other words, the steering mechanism merely starts the front section in the right general direction and thereafter the vehicle is guided around corners in the described manner. To insure that the steering rods 50 are not strained beyond their breaking point, during turning, each rod has as part thereof a stiff spring 78 interconnecting front and rear parts of the steering rods and being adapted to yield transversely when the vehicle guides itself around a sharper-than-normal turn.

The forward-most part of the nose portion 76 of the vehicle is provided with a transparent window 79 through which a strong light beam 80 may be projected from a light source 82 which cooperates with a television camera generally indicated by the numeral 84 and having a lens (not shown) which extends forwardly in close adjacency to the light source 82 and preferably is within the same housing.

Referring now to the expansible boot 52, this is composed of flexible composition material which may be similar to though of somewhat greater flexibility than the carcass of a conventional automobile tire. The ends of the boot interconnect radially spaced outer and inner sleeve parts 86, 87 with the latter being provided intermediate its ends with accordion pleats 88 which readily yield to permit the vehicle to negotiate corners. The inner sleeve part 87 is spaced from the parts 46, 48 of the internal body member by a series of annular spacing elements 90 fixed to the exterior of the body part 46, 48 as shown.

Moulded on the exterior of the outer sleeve part 86 is a spirally arranged hollow fin 94 whose side walls have accordion pleats 96 with the arrangement being such that when air under pressure is delivered to the interior of the boot by way of a small compressor 98 the spiral fin 94 is expanded radially outwardly to whatever extent is necessary to insure that the spiral 94 is in firm enough engagement with the tunnel bottom and/or side walls to insure that the vehicle will advance as the boot is rotated with respect to the internal body by means to be described.

As can be seen in FIG. 2 the major portion of primary vehicle 10 tapers from the rear to the forward end, and the rear body part 48 rearwardly of the boot is provided with a tail part 100 which tapers rearwardly and fixed to the exterior of the tail part are a plurality of rearwardly diverging springy rods 102 whose outer ends are spaced outwardly a considerable distance beyond the axis of the vehicle 10. The rods 102 are adapted to engage the bottom and side walls of a tunnel of usual size to prevent the internal body from rotating as the boot 52 is driven with respect to the internal body by means of an electric drive motor 104 carried by the rear body part 48 and having a pinion 106 which extends through a suitable slot 108 in the wall of the part 48 into engagement with an internal ring gear 110 on the inner periphery of the annular flanged end member 54 to which the end wall of the boot is vulcanized as previously described.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that with the rear part 48 of the vehicle being prevented from turning by engagement of the springy members 102 with the floor and/or side walls of a tunnel, when the motor 104 is operated to drive the boot 52 in a direction to advance the vehicle, the rear body part 48 is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction. The forward body part '46 is constrained by' the rear body part through the pleated portion 49 which'resists torsion while permitting free lateral movement of one body part with respect to the other.

If greater stability is found desirable, the outer boot may be composed of front-and rear counter-rotating parts rather than the unitary structure shown. Where counterrotating parts are employed, the pitch of the spiral fins on the respective parts will be opposite to each other to ensure advance of the vehicle.

Though the vehicle illustrated in FIG. 2 may be used for exploratory purposes only, it may also be used for the purpose of transporting a high explosive into a lethal range with respect to enemy forces hidden within a tunnel. For the latter use, a supply of high explosives, indicated generally by the number 116 would be carried within the vehicle 10 to be detonated at the will of the operator.

The wheeled members 12, 14 previously mentioned are optional and would be employed particularly where there may be doubt as to the configuration of the tunnel. For example, where it is thought there may be exceptionally wide parts in the tunnel whereby the arms 102 could not engage the side wall the carriages 12, 14 would be employed to drive the primary vehicle 10 forwardly by pushing against the rear thereof through the medium of push rods 118 which preferably are straight as shown and pivotally, connected at their opposite ends to the rear of the primary vehicle 10 and to the respective carriages at suitably spaced points. As previously mentioned, the wheels of the carriages are independently operable through clutches or the like for each wheel stub shaft with the arrangement being such that one wheel may be braked while the wheel on the opposite side continues to be driven. This tends to cause the carriage to rotate around the braked wheel and the shaft 18 to operate on the rear of the primary Vehicle 10 to cause the vehicle to rotate about a perpendicular axis in the opposite direction whereby the vehicle can be turned into alignment with any particular tunnel passage. Manipulation of the driving elements of the carriages would be analagous to the manipulation of a two-wheeled trailer connected to a towing vehicle which is moving in reverse, and with practice the skilled operator would become highly proficient in steering the vehicle 10 by the selective braking of the stub shafts on opposite sides of the auxiliary drive carriages 12, 14.

The operation of the invention should be apparent from the foregoing description. Briefly, a specialized squad would be assigned to a complete system with selected members of the squad being charged with transporting the separate components. When the entrance of a tunnel thought to contain enemy insurgents is discovered, the primary vehicle 10 along with auxiliary carriages 12, 14, if deemed necessary, is inserted into the tunnel entrance. Thereafter, the generator 32 is operated and the operator 42 turns on the light 82 and energizes the television camera 84. He then energizes the compressor 98 to expand the spiral fin 94 outwardly to approximately the width of the tunnel and thereafter he energizes the driving motor 104 to cause the spiral fin 94 to rotate in a direction to advance the primary vehicle 10. Using the televised picture as a guide,-the operator operates the steering controls to move the steering rods 50 inwardly and outwardly as necessary to insure that the rounded nose part 76 of. the vehicle engages the side wall of a tunnel part sufficiently so that the vehicle 10 will work itself around into a new angularly related tunnel part as generally indicated at 120 in FIG. 4. As the vehicle advances it strips off cable 24, 38 from the reels 26, 27 as necessary and the operator continues to guide the element 10 through the tunnel until such time as the primary vehicle 10 has arrived at what appears from the television picture to be a suitable position for detonating with maximum effectiveness the explosive 116 and also any explosives carried by the carriages 12, 14 whereupon the operator presses the firing button on the console.

As previously mentioned, whenever the primary vehicle 10 arrives at a position where the primary vehicle cannot be advanced by its usual mode of operation, the motors 16 of the booster carriages 12, 14 are operated to the extent necessary to push the primary vehicle into a position where it can again propel itself or, if necessary, all further propulsion is supplied by the carriages, the push rods 118 serving not only as means for transmitting propulsive force from the carriages to the vehicle 10 but also serving to constrain the inner body parts 46, 48 of the vehicle 10 against rotation so that the outer part may freely rotate as the vehicle 10 is shoved forwardly.

From the foregoing description, it should be apparent that the present invention affords a means for surveying and, if necessary, destroying tunnels from deep inside the tunnel network without subjecting friendly troops to the dangers that are inherent in entering a tunnel system which may contain hostile troops. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is not necessarily restricted to military use, but may also be used as an exploratory or rescue device in natural caves or where there have been mine or excavation cave-ins. It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is susceptible of a variety of changes and modifications without, however, departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for exploration of tunnels and the like comprising a primary mobile unit of elongated configuration having a main body part including head and tail portions, a sleeve-like member surrounding said main body member intermediate said head and tail portions, a spiral fin on the exterior of said sleeve-like member extending radially beyond said sleeve and said main body member, means carried by said unit for driving said sleeve-like member relative to said main body member, and means carried by said main body member adapted to engage an adjacent surface of a tunnel or the like and resist rotation of said main body member upon rotation of said sleeve, said fin and the direction of drive being selected so as to advance said unit in the direction of said head portion upon rotation of said sleeve-like member relative to said main body member, said sleeve-like member being of an axially extending, generally cylindrical, pressure expansible boot-like construction having radially spaced inner and outer side walls and opposed end walls, said spiral fin being hollow and integral with said outer wall and in open communication with the interior of said sleeve-like member, and fluid pressure producing means within said unit for supplying compressed fluid to the interior of said sleeve.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said head and tail portions of said main body member are angularly movable with respect to each other, and means interposed between said portions for moving one thereof angularly relative to the other to effect steering of said unit.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said fin is pleated along the length thereof whereby the radial width of the fin may be varied in response to fluid pressure.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including forwardly directed television camera means carried by said head por tion, television receiver means remote from said unit, and closed circuit conductor means interconnecting said camera means and said receiver means.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 including illuminating means carried by the head portion of said main body part.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 including explosive means carried by said unit, and means remote from said unit for selectively detonating said explosive means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 including electrical generating means remote from said unit, extensible electrical conductor means interconnecting said generator means and said unit, and control means remote from said unit for selectively controlling the operation of the components thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 including wheeled carriage means connected to said primary unit in a position to normally be moved by said unit upon operation thereof and means carried by said carriage means selectively operable to drive the wheels thereof to exert a force on said primary unit and assist the advance thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 including explosive means carried by said carriage means and means remote from said carriage means and said unit for selectively detonating said explosive means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,388,545 8/1921 Bohan 102-19 X 2,987,893 6/1961 Robinson 89-5 X 3,086,465 4/1963 De Montfort 102- 19 X 3,251,430 5/1966 Veryzer l7 X SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner. 

